In Photos: Remembering Antonio Inoki -- From wrestling star to national lawmaker in Japan

Antonio Inoki poses with his signature red scarf, in the Tokyo suburban city of Musashino on Sept. 2, 2019. (Mainichi/Junichi Sasaki)

NWF champion Antonio Inoki gives a kick from the canvas during a showdown with boxing world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, right, at Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo on June 26, 1976. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki, left, meets Muhammad Ali ahead of their match, at the Yurakucho Denki Building in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on June 18, 1976. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki, right, gifts a crutch to Muhammad Ali as a joke during a press conference at the Yurakucho Denki Building in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on June 18, 1976. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki, center left, poses next to Workers' Party of Korea secretary Kim Yong Sun at a pro wrestling event during the Pyongyang international sports and culture festival in North Korea, on April 29, 1995. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki grapples Masa Saito with a leg move, during a match in April 1983. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki, a pro wrestler-turned lawmaker, poses after arriving at the Diet building in Tokyo, on Aug. 7, 1989. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki, a pro wrestler-turned House of Councillors member, has a lawmaker's pin attached to his lapel, at the Diet building in Tokyo on Aug. 1, 1989. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki, center, raises his fist after securing a proportional representation seat in the House of Councillors election, in which he ran from the now-defunct Sports and Peace Party, at the party's office in Tokyo's Minato Ward on July 24, 1989. (Mainichi)

Former pro wrestler Antonio Inoki poses in front of an izakaya bar he conceived, during an unveiling event in Fukuoka's Hakata Ward on March 19, 2008. (Mainichi)

Antonio Inoki, right, shows off his handwritten message alongside Shintaro Ishihara during a press conference at the Diet building in Tokyo on June 5, 2013. Inoki announced his candidacy for the House of Councillors election, backed by Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party), then co-headed by Ishihara and Toru Hashimoto. (Mainichi/Taro Fujii)

House of Councillors member Antonio Inoki, center, shouts at a microphone during a press conference at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Nov. 7, 2013. (Mainichi/Tsutomu Koseki)

Antonio Inoki, wearing his trademark red scarf and set to run in the House of Councillors election from the proportional representation block, stands as Shintaro Ishihara, left, shakes hands with Toru Hashimoto, during a stump speech in front of JR Shibuya Station in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on June 6, 2013. Ishihara and Hashimoto co-headed Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party). (Mainichi/Koichiro Tezuka)

Antonio Inoki, center, is flanked by Shintaro Ishihara, left, and Toru Hashimoto, in front of JR Shibuya Station in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on June 6, 2013, as the former pro wrestler prepared to run in the House of Councillors election from the proportional representation block. Ishihara and Hashimoto co-headed Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party). (Mainichi/Koichiro Tezuka)

Antonio Inoki, right, poses with Shintaro Ishihara during a press conference to announce his candidacy in the House of Councillors election under Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party), at the Diet building on June 5, 2013. The party was co-headed by Ishihara and Toru Hashimoto. (Mainichi/Taro Fujii)

Antonio Inoki gives a performance after a press conference to announce his candidacy in the House of Councillors election under Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party), at the Diet building on June 5, 2013. (Mainichi/Taro Fujii)

House of Councillors member Antonio Inoki poses in front of the Diet building on Aug. 2, 2013. (Mainichi/Yohei Koide)

Antonio Inoki, a House of Councillors member for Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party), listens to a question and answer session regarding a bill to establish a Japanese version of the National Security Council, at a plenary session of the chamber on Nov. 8, 2013. (Mainichi/Taro Fujii)

Upper house member Antonio Inoki is seen in the Diet building after a plenary session of the chamber on Nov. 8, 2013. (Mainichi/Tomohisa Yazu)

Antonio Inoki, right, is seen during an event to raise awareness among young people about exercising their right to vote, at the Members' Office Building of the House of Councillors in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on June 8, 2016. (Mainichi/Taro Fujii)

Antonio Inoki holds a picture showing him with Muhammad Ali, after a press conference at a hotel in Tokyo on June 4, 2016, following the American boxer's death. (Mainichi/Kan Takeuchi)

Antonio Inoki poses during his own "funeral service," at Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on Oct. 21, 2017. (Mainichi/Masaru Nishimoto)

Antonio Inoki poses during his own "funeral service," at Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on Oct. 21, 2017. (Mainichi/Masaru Nishimoto)

Antonio Inoki is seen after delivering an opening speech at an event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of pro wrestler Giant Baba, at Ryogoku Kokugikan arena in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on Feb. 19, 2019. (Mainichi/Shin Yamamoto)

Antonio Inoki tries back ribs, a restaurant menu item he was involved in devising, in the Tokyo suburban city of Musashino on Sept. 2, 2019. (Mainichi/Junichi Sasaki)